The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (249 page)

What, Buckingham and Clifford, are ye so brave?--

And you, base peasants, do ye believe him? will you needs be

hang'd with your pardons about your necks? Hath my sword therefore

broke through London gates, that you should leave me at the

White Hart in Southwark? I thought ye would never have given

out these arms till you had recovered your ancient freedom;

but you are all recreants and dastards, and delight to live in

slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burthens,

take your houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daughters

before your faces. For me, I will make shift for one; and so,

God's curse light upon you all!

What, Buckingham and Clifford, are you so bold?

And you, low peasants, do you believe them? Do want to be

hanged with your pardons around your necks? Is this why my

sword broke through the gates of London, so that you could leave me at the

White Hart in Southwark? I thought you would never give up

your arms until you had recovered your ancient freedoms;

but you are all traitors and bastards, and love to live as

slaves to noblemen. Let them break your backs with burdens,

steal the roofs from over your heads, rape your wives and daughters

in front of you. I shall keep on going; and so,

may God curse you all!

ALL.

We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade!

We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade!

CLIFFORD.

Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth,

That thus you do exclaim you'll go with him?

Will he conduct you through the heart of France,

And make the meanest of you earls and dukes?

Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to;

Nor knows he how to live but by the spoil,

Unless by robbing of your friends and us.

Were 't not a shame that whilst you live at jar

The fearful French, whom you late vanquished,

Should make a start o'er seas and vanquish you?

Methinks already in this civil broil

I see them lording it in London streets,

Crying 'Villiaco!' unto all they meet.

Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry

Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy.

To France, to France, and get what you have lost;

Spare England, for it is your native coast.

Henry hath money, you are strong and manly;

God on our side, doubt not of victory.

Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth, is that

why you say you'll follow him?

Will he lead you through the heart of France,

and make the lowest of you earls and dukes?

Alas, he has no home, no place to run to;

he doesn't know how to live except by sifting dung heaps,

unless it's by robbing your friends and us.

Isn't it shameful that while you fight each other

the fearsome French, whom you recently defeated,

could come over the sea and defeat you?

I think that I can already see, due to this civil disturbance,

them lording it around the streets of London,

crying “villain!" to everyone they meet.

It's better for ten thousand lowborn Cades to fail

than for you to bow down before the mercy of a Frenchman.

Go to France, to France, and reclaim what you have lost;

spare England, for it is your native land.

Henry has money, and you are strong and manly;

with God on our side, we cannot lose.

ALL.

A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the king and

Clifford.

Clifford! Clifford! We'll follow the king and

Clifford.

CADE.

Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this

multitude? The name of Henry the Fifth hales them to an hundred

mischiefs and makes them leave me desolate. I see them lay their

heads together to surprise me. My sword make way for me, for

here is no staying.--In despite of the devils and hell, have

through the very middest of you! and heavens and honour be

witness

that no want of resolution in me, but only my followers' base and

ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels.

Did any feather ever blow so lightly to and fro as this

crowd? The name of Henry the Fifth encourages them to

a hundred mischiefs and makes them leave me alone. I see them

conferring as to how to ambush me. My sword must cut a path for me, for

there's no staying here. In spite of the devil and hell, I'll drive

straight through the middle of you! May heaven and honour witness

that I have no lack of bravery, it's only the low and shameful

treason of my followers that makes me run.

[Exit.]

BUCKINGHAM.

What, is he fled?--Go some, and follow him;

And he that brings his head unto the king

Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.--

[Exeunt some of them.]

Follow me, soldiers; we'll devise a mean

To reconcile you all unto the king.

What, has he fled? Some of you go, and follow him;

whoever brings his head to the King

shall have a thousand crowns as his reward.

Follow me, soldiers; we'll find a way

to reconcile you all with the king.

[Exeunt.]

[Sound trumpets. Enter KING, QUEEN, and SOMERSET, on the

terrace.]

KING.

Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne,

And could command no more content than I?

No sooner was I crept out of my cradle

But I was made a king at nine months old.

Was never subject long'd to be a king

As I do long and wish to be a subject.

Was there ever a king who had an earthly throne

who was as unhappy as I am?

I had no sooner crept out of my cradle

when I was made a king at nine months old.

There was no subject who ever longed to be a king

as much as I long to be a subject.

[Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORD.]

BUCKINGHAM.

Health and glad tidings to your majesty!

Health and good news for your Majesty!

KING.

Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surpris'd?

Or is he but retir'd to make him strong?

Why, Buckingham, has the traitor Cade been overthrown?

Or has he just retreated to regroup?

[Enter, below, multitudes with halters about their necks.]

CLIFFORD.

He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield,

And humbly thus, with halters on their necks,

Expect your highness' doom, of life or death.

He has fled, my lord, and all his forces surrender,

humbly like this, with ropes round their necks,

and they await your Highness' sentence of life or death.

KING.

Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates,

To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!--

Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives

And show'd how well you love your prince and country.

Continue still in this so good a mind,

And Henry, though he be infortunate,

Assure yourselves, will never be unkind.

And so, with thanks and pardon to you all,

I do dismiss you to your several countries.

Then, heaven, open your eternal gates,

to welcome my vows of thanks and praise!

Soldiers, today you have saved your lives

by showing how much you love your prince and country.

Carry on doing this with such a good attitude,

and Henry, although he may be unlucky,

I can promise you, will never be unkind.

And so, I give you all my thanks and pardon,

and dismiss you to go back to your different regions.

ALL.

God save the king! God save the king!

God save the King! God save the King!

[Enter a Messenger.]

MESSENGER.

Please it your grace to be advertised

The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland,

And with a puissant and a mighty power

Of gallowglasses and stout kerns

Is marching hitherward in proud array,

And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,

His arms are only to remove from thee

The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.

Please be advised your Grace that

the Duke of York has recently come from Ireland,

with a strong and numerous force

of very hardy Irish soldiers

and is marching here in full battle order,

and he is announcing, as he comes,

that his forces are only here to take from you

the Duke of Somerset, whom he says is a traitor.

KING.

Thus stands my state, 'twixt Cade and York distress'd,

Like to a ship that, having scap'd a tempest,

Is straightway calm'd and boarded with a pirate;

But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers'd,

And now is York in arms to second him.--

I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,

And ask him wha t's the reason of these arms.

Tell him I'll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;--

And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,

Until his army be dismiss'd from him.

This is how my country stands, caught between Cade and York,

like a ship that, having escaped a storm,

is immediately boarded by pirates in the calm;

but now Cade has been driven back, his men scattered,

and now York comes with his forces to back him up.

Please, Buckingham, go and meet him,

and ask him why he's brought these forces.

Tell him I'll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;

and, Somerset, I'll send you there,

until he has dismissed his army.

SOMERSET.

My lord,

I'll yield myself to prison willingly,

Or unto death, to do my country good.

My Lord,

I'll willingly go to prison,

or die, for the good of my country.

KING.

In any case, be not too rough in terms,

For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.